


The Greatest Gift

by Talax



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-episode fic, The Greatest Gift, heavy emphasis on the comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 17:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9616982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talax/pseuds/Talax
Summary: Robbie gives Ziggy homemade cookies. Stingy gives him air. Robbie is still the worst guest.Post-The Greatest Gift fic because its such a good Robbie episode and I want him to know that he did a great job.





	

Robbie was deep in thought as he snuck away from the echoing laughter of Ziggy’s birthday party. They were still playing pretend, but it had somehow turned into pretend sports, which was firmly not Robbie’s department. Between keeping up with who had the “ball” and determining the rules to whatever sport it was, Robbie was left exhausted and defeated. He had made his escape without saying goodbye and without anyone noticing. He’d even managed to sneak inside and take his cookies back. The kids definitely wouldn’t notice they were gone. Even if they did notice they wouldn’t care. They had hardly noticed Robbie was there the whole time, yet Robbie felt like a giant pimple on everyone's good time, like a big purple elephant in the room.

Robbie was just about back to the safety of his lair and working hard on opening the hatch when he heard a voice call out to him.

“Robbie!”

He flinched rather dramatically, cowering, covering his head, and letting out a large yelp. He straightened himself out as best he could, standing his full height. 

“Sportaflop,” he said as courteously as he could. “What do you want?” Robbie saw that Sportacus’s hands were on his hips, which almost certainly meant an unprompted lecture was imminent. Well, one hand was on his hip anyway, the other was supporting a flimsy looking gift box. Either way that lecture was about to bubble out of his sanctimonious smile.

Sportacus casually tossed the gift box in the air and caught it again. “I just wanted to say that everyone was really glad you made it to Ziggy’s party. It was a lot of fun to play with you.”

The kids? Liked his company? Robbie considered it momentarily, and then stopped considering all together. There was no way. He was the worst guest who gave the worst gift. Sportadork was definitely just trying to make him feel better. And he detested him for it. “Don't lie to me,” Robbie snarled and turned away.

“Robbie,” Sportacus laughed lightly. “I'm serious. Ziggy wanted me to bring you this.”

Robbie spun around to see that the box Sportacus was so carelessly tossing about opened up to reveal a big plate of birthday cake and a bright spotted plastic goodie bag. In his haste to escape social interaction he’d forgotten all about the presence of his favorite treat. Robbie let a sob escape his lips along with a slurred sentence “f-f-for me? Me?” His lone sob was turning into many wet tears. He hadn’t even realized he was upset until it was happening.

Sportacus looked horrified for a moment but acted quickly, wrapping his arms around Robbie in a tight hug.

Robbie didn't have time to flinch away. In fact, he found that he rather liked Sportacus hard body surrounding him. He really liked the way Sportacus had his face pressed against his chest. He really really liked that Sportacus leaned further into the hug when Robbie found his own arms hugging Sportacus back. Was there anything in the world more comforting than this warm human rock pressed against him? Robbie rested his head on Sportacus's, the hurricane of self loathing swirling in his head seemed to decrease a category or two.

Robbie felt Sportacus's voice refurbishing in his chest cavity but didn't make out a word. “What?” Robbie asked.

Sportacus turned his face, but his cheek remained firmly on Robbie’s chest. “I said, Robbie, what's the matter?” he repeated quietly, his voice filled with warmth and interest.

Robbie sense of privacy didn’t have a chance.

His voice came out quickly and unevenly, accented with whimpers that he’d be probably be ashamed of if he thought to hard about it. 

“I made these stupid cookies and I was so excited to share them with everyone and no one even tried them. I know I'm weird and awkward and that they only invited me out of pity. It was so painful and difficult to try to understand everything happening. I- I don't know. I just feel like such a loser and a freak and I know I didn't do anything right.”

Sportacus rubbed his free hand, the one not holding Robbie’s cake, over Robbie’s back. “Anything else?” Sportacus asked.

Robbie sighed, his wet face was making a mess of Sportacus's hat. “I don’t know… I just feel like I'm not being a person correctly.”

Much to Robbie’s disappointment, Sportacus pulled away. He placed Robbie’s plate carefully on the hatch beside them and moved back to Robbie, placing both of his hands firmly on Robbie’s shoulders. He had a look of adoration that made Robbie feel something far too deeply. 

“You did great today, Robbie. I know how hard it is for you to connect with others but everyone has a better appreciation for you after today. They really like to play with you, especially playing pretend.”

Sportacus looked away, freeing Robbie from his intense adoration as he considered how to word his next sentence. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m. Well I’m a little weird myself-”

This warranted a tension relieving chuckle from Robbie, who quickly shut up when he realized his rival was trying to be serious.

“And I don’t do a very good job of relating to adults, and I have trouble playing make pretend with the kids. They really like it and I don’t really know how to play things that don’t have set rules already. They really need you to help them be creative and... well... smart.”

Sportacus hadn’t looked up since he began his monologue and his grip on Robbie’s shoulders was slipping little by little as he spoke. Robbie was not expecting that his blabbering was going to signal Sportacus that he could open up about his own insecurities. That’s what was happening, at least he thought that was what was happening. He definitely wasn’t expecting to learn that Sportacus actually liked him, actually valued his time with the kids instead of being annoyed or worried that Robbie would be a bad influence on them.

“Sport…” Robbie reached out to Sportacus, trying to comfort Sportacus in the same way that he had been comforted. “Do you actually think I’m… good for them?”

Sportacus gladly pulled Robbie into a second hug. He could use both of his hands this time and Robbie relished the feeling of Sportacus’s arms wrapping under his arms and up his shoulder blades. 

“Yes I do! I know so.” Sportacus expressed confidently. It was really hard to doubt that voice.

“And you think they want to be around me?”

“Yes, Robbie they do and” Sportacus emphasized his second statement with a squeeze. “I want to be around you.”

Robbie froze and tensed. “You what?”

“I want to be with you.”

“You what?” The change in wording had not escaped Robbie’s notice, but it confused him even more than Sportacus’s first statement.

Sportacus laughed and pointed his head up to Robbie. “Robbie, you are very silly. You know that I like you.”

Robbie had to keep him from repeating himself for the third time. “But I’m your total opposite. You are supposed to hate me. I’m supposed to hate you. I do hate you. I torment you.”

Sportacus really laughed this time. “I don’t care... I don’t hate you and you don’t hate me. That’s silly.”

Robbie laughed too, but he felt some tears starting to escape his eyes again. “You stupid elf” he managed to say.

Sportacus reached a hand up to touch Robbie’s wet face and wiped a tear away. With all the physical contact they’d been maintaining, Robbie managed not to flinch, but he tensed up from the effort. Sportacus calloused hand touching his cheek... It was softer than he’d imagined it would be. He breathed a shaky breath and attempted to relax, but he found he was a new kind of nervous. Not the ruminating nervous he’d been all day but… nervous with anticipation. His heart was beating so fast but Sportacus’s hands rubbing his skin were so relaxing. Robbie just didn’t know what to do with all of these signals.

Sportacus brushed a finger against Robbie’s lips and Robbie felt himself go pink as Sportacus’s eyes flicked between his own eyes and his lips. When Robbie was sure Sportacus could see, he parted his lips enough to lick them, catching Sportacus’s finger in the crossfire. Sportacus’s thumb went back to rubbing his check as the rest of his fingers stretched out across Robbie’s face, guiding his head down into a soft kiss.

Somehow Robbie calmed his heart enough to kiss Sportacus back. He noticed pleasantly that Sportacus’s lips were as soft and gentle as his words were. Kind and forgiving and patient.

Sportacus pulled away after a moment. “Does this prove how much I like you, Robbie?” 

“I’m still not sure I understand,” Robbie said, one half truth and one half trying to push more out of his rival.

“Okay, I will tell you,” Sportacus leaned his head between Robbie’s neck and shoulders and whispered, “I really like you, Robbie. I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time. I want to take care of you and I want to be close to you and I want to listen to all your stories”.

Robbie was melting, which was giving Sportacus greater access to Robbie’s neck without standing on his toes, which was allowing Sportacus to plant little kisses on his neck between his statements, which was going full circle back to Robbie, melting. “Is that all you want to do?” Robbie said breathlessly.

Sportacus hummed into Robbie’s neck. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

Robbie took a break from clutching Sportacus for dear life and slid his hands a little lower, to the small of Sportacus’s back.

“I do have one thing I want to do today” he said, giving Robbie’s turtleneck a nibble.

Robbie was going to keel over in anticipation.

“If you want to share… I’d like to try one of your cookies”

Robbie jumped back out of Sportacus’s arms. “You want to try one of my cookies? Are you suicidal, elf?”

He looked a little hurt that Robbie had broken their embrace, but he regarded Robbie with amusement. “I wouldn’t die from that! I’ll just be a little tired but it's okay. I want to try them.” 

Robbie certainly regretted losing their contact but it wasn’t his fault that Sportacus said something so shocking and wrong. “No you don’t! You hate sugar!”

“I don’t hate sugar, I just can’t process it the way you do. Can’t I try them? Just a bite?”

He seemed genuinely excited. This was not right. Everything about today was so topsy turvy upside down that this might as well be happening. Robbie picked up his baggie of cookies that he’d dropped somewhere between being surprised by Sportacus and being surprised by Sportacus. “I… I guess so” he shoved the bag in Sportacus’s direction and watched carefully.

Sportacus opened the bag without being outwardly disgusted like Robbie had expected him to be. He took out a cookie and examined it, feeling all the textures and testing its give. Yeah, they were a little hard, but that’s how they were supposed to be. Sportacus gave the cookie a little sniff and much to Robbie’s surprise, stuck the whole thing in his mouth at once. 

“Sportacus!” Robbie shouted in surprise.

“Mmm, sss’good, Robbie” he managed to say before falling onto Robbie’s chest. 

“Sportacus? Are you going to be okay?”

“Mmm yeah. So sleepy. Thank you, Robbie” he said dreamily as more and more of his weight was being supported by Robbie’s shaking arms.

Robbie didn’t know what to do. Sportacus was definitely asleep in his arms now. He definitely just did that on purpose, knowing that he would fall asleep on Robbie. Did he have a plan or was he just that much of an impulsive jerk? He fell asleep on Robbie, Robbie Rotten, town villain and the president of the one-man Kick Sportaflop Out of Lazytown club. They share one kiss and suddenly he thinks he can trust Robbie? Why on earth did he do that? Now Robbie had to do something at least a little nefarious. He could sneak up to his ship and hid all of his sports equipment. He could steal his crystal. He could pack him up in a box and ship him far far away. He could take some embarrassing pictures and blackmail him out of town. He could do any number of horrible things to get rid of Sportacus forever.

He couldn’t do a single one.

\----

Sportacus woke up in Robbie’s lair, under a great number of blankets and feeling terribly foggy. He glanced beside him and saw a big red apple and a little note: 

Dear Sportasnore,

I hope you enjoy my nice comfortable chair while I sleep on a park bench. Thanks for bringing me the cake. It was really good. I’m mad at you for falling asleep on me, by the way. You’re a real jerk.

Call me and we can do it again?

RR

Sportacus looked around the lair more and saw about 100 crumpled up pieces of paper. He hopped up, with much less vigor than he would have liked, and grabbed one near his feet. This sheet of paper had a curse word scratched into it over and over. He picked up another which read 

Dear Sportacus, 

Get out of my town you blue-suited blowhard with you stupid beautiful eyes and your stupid puppy dog face AHHHHHH

Sportacus laughed out loud and picked up another and another.

Dear Sportacus,

Thank you for delivering the cake and the goody bag. And for your words. And for kissing me. And also for existing. But also fuck you for always flirting with me and leaving me hanging. You’re a real jerk! You torture me much more than I torture you. Flaunting your taught little ass all around town with your stupid handstands. 

Whatever!  
RR

The second letter he picked up was identical to the un crumpled letter beside the apple except there was an additional section at the end which read:

But I think we should hang out again. Really soon. A lot actually. I think we should hang out a lot and also kiss more.  
RR

Sportacus had snooped around enough for one day. He folded Robbie’s blankets and tucked Robbie’s letter under his vest beside his heart.


End file.
